20 Carbohydrate Diet

Very low-carb diets often recommend starting with a carb intake of 20 g a day, as with the induction phase of the Atkins diet. The reasons for starting with a very low carb intake include kick-starting your weight loss and eliminating cravings for sweets and starchy foods more quickly. Always consult your doctor before going on a new diet, especially if you take prescription medications. Low-carb diets can be more effective compared with traditional low-fat, calorie-restricted diets for weight loss, according to a study published in April 2003 in "The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism."

Avoid High-Carb Foods

To keep your carbs at 20 g a day, start tracking your carb intake and familiarize yourself with the carb content of the various foods you eat on a regular basis. Grains, including breads, breakfast cereals, pasta, crackers, rice, crackers and baked goods, as well as starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn, contain a lot of carbohydrates and cannot be included if you want to keep your carbs at 20 g a day. Avoid all forms of sugar, with the exception of artificial sweeteners. Fruits, nuts, nut butter, milk, yogurt and some fresh cheeses, like cottage and ricotta cheeses, also contain too many carbs to fit in your very low-carb diet.

Get Your Carbs From Nonstarchy Vegetables

If you want to keep your carbs very low, you can get all your carbs from nonstarchy vegetables. Nonstarchy vegetables have a very low carb content, but you will need to track your carb intake and control serving size to keep your carbs at 20 g a day. When counting your carbs, you can subtract the fiber from the total carbohydrates to obtain what is called net carbs or available carbohydrates. Counting net carbs is usually more accurate than counting total carbs. You will be able to include about 1 to 2 cups of nonstarchy vegetables at each meal on your low-carb diet, including onions, spinach, leafy greens, kale, cucumber, celery, broccoli, bell pepper, eggplant or tomatoes.

Complete With Protein and Fat

On a very low-carb diet, you will get about 5 to 7 g of net carbs from 1 to 2 cups of nonstarchy vegetables at each of your meal and the remaining of your calories will be provided by fat and protein. For example, you can get protein from eggs, full-fat cheese or sausages at breakfast, from chicken, salmon, canned tuna, shrimps, beef or pork at lunch or dinner. A serving of 4 to 6 oz. is appropriate for most people, but serving sizes need to be adjusted according to your height, weight and physical activity level. You should also add 1 to 2 tbsp. of extra fat at each of your meals, whether you choose coconut oil, olive oil, butter, cream or full-fat mayonnaise.

Special Considerations

The average American eats over 200 to 300 g of carbohydrates a day. Limiting your carbs to 20 g a day is a big change and may induce some fatigue, dizziness or headaches in the first few days. Drink plenty of water to alleviate your side effects. Adding salt to your foods, unless you have a sodium restriction, can also help you stay hydrated and feel better on your very low-carb diet, as recommended by Dr. Eric C. Westman in "New Atkins for a New You: The Ultimate Diet for Shedding Weight and Feeling Great."